The Ekiti State Police Command has confirmed the killing of an operative of the Department of State Services (DSS) by three soldiers.
The Public Relations Officer of the Command, Sunday Abutu, described the killing as unfortunate and mindless.
Abutu said the gory incident occurred on Friday evening at a hotel located on NTA Road in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital during an argument that ensued between some soldiers and a DSS official, leading to the death of the latter.
He noted that the Command had begun investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident, adding that the deceased’s corpse had been deposited in the morgue.
An eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told our reporter that the DSS operative was stabbed in the neck and he bled to death.
He explained that the incident occurred as a result of hot argument between the soldiers and the DSS staff after they arrested a young boy suspected to be an internet fraudster inside the hotel.
The source said: “As the soldiers who were inside the hotel had stopped the young man they suspected to be a ‘yahoo boy’ and were interrogating him, the young man saw the DSS operative on a bike and beckoned to him for rescue.
“When the DSS got to the soldiers, a hot argument ensued between them and one of the soldiers became so angry that he drew out a knife and stabbed DSS operative in the neck.
“The DSS man fell immediately and started bleeding. The people that were drinking inside the hotel had to run for their lives.
“In fact, they hurriedly fled the scene to prevent being arrested.”
He further added that a few minutes after the tragic incident occurred, about six gun-wielding DSS operatives stormed the hotel and whisked the soldiers away to their custody.